THE SALK INSTITUTE for Biological Studies is located in La Jolla, California. It was established in 1960 by Jonas Salk, M.D., after he had developed a vaccine for polio. The institute has since become a leader in the field of stem cell research.

The goal of Salk in founding the Salk Institute was to establish a center for the study of the basic principles of living things. It was to be a “crucible for creativity,” in which questions about the basic principles of life could be pursued. Both the Salk faculty and others would be able to seek knowledge of nature that would enable them to benefit mankind by offering a better future. It was to be a place where basic research would lead to the ...